Stay up to date:Get a free personalized pregnancy and baby newsletter from What to Expect.com

Get your free personalized pregnancy and baby newsletter

or

I'm trying to conceive

I don’t live in the U.S.

First Time Mom

By clicking "SIGN UP," you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We will use your information to send you our newsletters, coupons and special offers, and we share your information with our partners

THANKS FOR SIGNING UP!

Home
> BPA May Interfere With Egg Maturation and Contribute to Infertility

Blog

+

BPA May Interfere With Egg Maturation and Contribute to Infertility

0

by Nicole Stevens on August 02, 2013

Nicole Stevens

About the Author

Nicole Stevens is a 30-something mom of four adorable kids. Her passions include spending time with her babies and doing research in the laboratory. She also enjoys crafts, photography, crochet, reading, and long walks. Her work has appeared elsewhere on WhattoExpect.com.

About the Blog

WhatToExpect.com supports Word of Mom as a place to share stories and highlight the many perspectives and experiences of pregnancy and parenting. However, the opinions expressed in this section are those of individual writers and do not reflect the views of Heidi Murkoff of the What to Expect brand.

Trending With Moms

SUMMARY: New research shows that bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in production of plastic and other products, can disrupt egg maturation and even cause the egg to break down. These findings may be one clue into unexplained infertility.

Thousands of U.S. couples struggle with infertility, yet they can find no cause for their troubles. New research suggests a tantalizing clue: A chemical called bisphenol-A may interfere with fertility by changing how human eggs develop.

A press release on Eurekalert tells of a study led by Dr. Catherine Racowsky, director of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies Laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Researchers took eggs that would have otherwise been discarded, and exposed them to varying levels of BPA. Consenting patients donated up to three eggs, so researchers could leave one egg from each patient unexposed as a control to see how the BPA altered egg development.

As the BPA dose increased, researchers saw a decrease in the number of eggs that matured correctly. A high number of eggs degenerated or underwent spontaneous activation — this is where an unfertilized egg behaves as though it has already been fertilized and begins dividing with only half its complement of DNA. Even in eggs that reached maturity, BPA exposure appeared to interfere with cellular division by not allowing chromosomes to line up correctly.

Dr. Racowsky notes that this research aligns with many other studies showing the potential effects of BPA exposure on animal eggs. "Our data show that BPA exposure can dramatically inhibit egg maturation and adds to a growing body of evidence about the impact of BPA on human health," she said.

It may not just be eggs that are sensitive to BPA exposure, either. Men with high levels of BPA in their bodies are likely to have lower sperm counts, worse semen quality, and reduced sperm motility.

The problem is that BPA is nearly ubiquitous. It's in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin, which are used for a host of products: water bottles, baby toys, food and drink containers, medical devices, and even cash register tape. BPA can leach from the plastics or can liners into the food and drink we consume. This is especially true if the plastic is heated.

A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimated that more than 90 percent of Americans aged six and over may have BPA in their bodies. So, time to panic? Not necessarily, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A Consumer Update article published last year assures the public that whatever low levels of BPA we consume are rapidly metabolized and flushed from the body in our waste. The FDA notes that it continues to monitor ongoing research efforts on potential hazards of BPA.

Meanwhile, a little caution is warranted. Some studies suggest that infants and children may be most vulnerable to BPA, so it's not a bad idea to limit their exposure as much as possible. With a few simple steps, most families can reduce their BPA levels.

Many food cans are lined with sealants that contain BPA, so whenever possible, concerned consumers can opt for fresh food over canned. Plastic containers that have a recycling code of 3 or 7 may contain BPA, so they should be used with caution and discarded if they show scratches or signs of wear. Parents can choose BPA-free baby bottles and infant products whenever they are available. Most importantly, polycarbonate plastic should not be microwaved or used to serve hot foods and boiling liquids. Heating can cause leaching of the BPA.

Do you worry about BPA exposure and possible health hazards? Share thoughts below.

Download our AppPregnancy & Baby

More

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advise, diagnosis or treatment, or in a place of therapy or medical care. User of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.

This Site and third parties who place advertisements on this Site may collect and use information about your
visits to this Site and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you.
If you would like to obtain more information about these advertising practices and to make choices about online behavioral advertising, please click here